Renters Reform Bill to be delayed until Autumn: report

This Bill would ban section 21 evictions - known as ‘no fault’ evictions - and make all assured tenancies periodic to provide more security for tenants.

A report in the the Financial Times (FT) said bills dealing with employment rights and reform of the audit process were also likely to face delay.

Under the Renters Rights Bill the Government has said there would also be new safeguards for tenants, giving them more time to find a home if landlords evict to move in or sell, and stronger protections against ‘backdoor’ eviction by ensuring tenants can appeal against excessive rents purely designed to force them out.

It would also introduce a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman and apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector.

Local authorities would gain tougher enforcement and investigatory powers over private rented homes.

According to the FT a “choked” legislative agenda has led to the delays with royal assent not now expected to come until the autumn, as Parliament will go into recess from late July until early September, and then again until after the party conference season.

Mairi MacRae, director of campaigns and policy at housing charity Shelter, told Local Government Lawyer: “Almost one year on and with the Renters’ Rights Bill still tangled up in Parliament, renters can't face another year with no security in their homes.

“For every day the government doesn’t pass this Bill, another 70 households will be threatened with homelessness because no fault evictions are being kept on life-support for no good reason.”

Ms MacRae added: “The government has the power to stop this, and renters cannot wait any longer. It must make good on its manifesto commitment by passing the Renters Rights Bill as soon as possible and naming an implementation date so renters have certainty on when no fault evictions will finally be scrapped for good.” 

The MHCLG has been contacted for comment.

Mark Smulian